Ritchie Roesch

Recent Suburban Photographs

Posted on July 21, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Home Flag – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

I mentioned in yesterday’s urban photography post that I love photographing in downtown environments. However, where I live and where I experience day-to-day life is in the suburbs, which is a place where a lot of people live and experience life. There’s a pretty good chance that you live in the suburbs, too.

William Eggleston is perhaps the best known suburban photographer. He captured the mundane life found in the bedroom neighborhoods of Memphis, and, while not originally well-received, his work is now highly celebrated. There is beauty in the ordinary if you look for it, and he certainly found it.

It’s difficult to get excited about photographing the suburbs. It seems so boring. It seems so humdrum. But there are plenty of interesting things all around if you take a moment to look for them. If you live in the suburbs, it’s an easy subject to photograph because you are already there, no travel required. Just take a walk around your neighborhood with your camera in hand.

The photographs in this article, most of which are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs, were captured recently using a Fujifilm X100F, X-Pro2 and X-E1. Like the previous post, none of these pictures were previously shared on this blog. As I was grouping images together, I noticed that these fit nicely with each other, so I made an article out of them. Enjoy!

Color:

Red Roof – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

JO IN A lEAGUE – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Waiting Blues – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Cloud Decor – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Ikea Carts – Draper, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Outdoor Patio Lights – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Car Under The Street Lamp – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7artisans 25mm

B&W:

Rooster On The Roof – Herriman, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Thin Clouds Over Roof – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Get One Back – Draper, UT – Fujifilm X100F

OK Hardware Clerk – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Awesome Fan – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Recent Salt Lake City Urban Photographs

Posted on July 20, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Urban Crescent – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

I was going over the photographs that I’ve captured lately but haven’t shared yet on Fuji X Weekly, trying to group them into categories, and I realized that I have a number of urban photographs captured in Salt Lake City, Utah. I live about 30 minutes outside of Salt Lake City in one of the suburbs, and occasionally find myself venturing into the urban landscape.

These photographs were captured using an X-Pro2, X100F and X-E1. I’ve previously shared some other photographs from these outings in different articles, but the specific images seen here have never before been included in any article on this blog. They are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs, with the exception of one which received some minor cropping.

I enjoy photographing the urban environment because there is so much diversity. There are a lot of different things that you could focus on all around you, including architecture, street, colors, abstract, etc. Ten photographers could walk along the same road downtown and come away with vastly different images.

The first time that I attempted urban photography was in downtown Dallas, Texas, back when I was in college two decades ago. It was for a project in Photography 102, and I just loved it. If I could (and maybe I can) I would spend a lot more time capturing the urban environment. It is a heavily saturated genre, though, so capturing it in a unique or meaningful way is difficult. But, perhaps, the reward is found in the challenge.

Color:

No Overnight – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Time To Come Home – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

West – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

US Alone – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Fountain of Youth – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

B&W:

Walker Center At Night – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

KeyBank – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

City Sun Monochrome – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Afternoon Coffee Walk – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Lines In Monochrome – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Fujifilm Announces XF10

Posted on July 19, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

The upcoming Fujifilm XF10 was just announced today, and a Fuji X Weekly reader asked if I would share my opinion about it. I have never used the camera or seen it in person, so I don’t know how valuable my thoughts might be, but since I was asked I will share them with you.

To understand the XF10 you have to go back a couple of years to when the X70 was released, which was basically a smaller, lighter, more wide angle, and cheaper X100T. It was a very popular camera, especially for street photography and travel landscapes. The X70 was also the very last X-Trans II camera, and right after its release Sony announced it was discontinuing production of the 16-megapixel APS-C sensor, so its availability was limited.

A lot of people figured that Fujifilm would release a successor to the X70, perhaps called X80, with the new 24-megapixel X-Trans III sensor, but that didn’t happen. Fujifilm came out and said that the new sensor required too much computing power and generated too much heat to simply fit into an X70 body. It was either going to run very slow or they were going to have to make a bigger, heavier, more expensive body to house it in, which would defeat the purpose of the camera in the first place.

There are a lot of similarities between the X70 and the XF10. There are some differences, as well, but the two cameras are more alike than not. The XF10 lacks a flip screen and has a PASM dial instead of a shutter speed dial. The XF10 is 4K capable (sort of). The XF10 has a snap-focus option. Oh, and the sensors are different.

The X70 sports a 16-megapixel X-Trans sensor while the XF10 has a 24-megapixel Bayer sensor. What this means for practical purposes is you will get similar image quality from both cameras. For example, the X-A3 camera I used to have also had a 24-megapixel Bayer sensor, and the images that it produced were very close to what X-Trans II produced.

I believe, based more on a gut feeling than anything else, that Fujifilm is still working on a true follow-up to the X70, but they haven’t got it all figured out yet. It might take the upcoming X-Trans IV sensor and improved processor to make it possible. There are plenty of issues that have to be worked through, and I’m sure some compromises will be required.

The XF10 seems like a cheaper, more entry-level version of the X70 than anything else. If Fujifilm is still hoping to release an X80 in the coming year or two, it would make sense to have a stop-gap option in the meantime. They want to capitalize on sales in this niche market, but they don’t want to do so at the expense of the future model.

If you’ve been waiting for an X80, then the XF10 is not the camera that you are looking for. If you’ve been considering a used X70, you will have to decide if the XF10 is a good alternative for you or not, and, for the $500 MSRP, it might be. If you have been considering a Ricoh GR II, then you might also take a look at the XF10.

I imagine that sales for the XF10 will be pretty hot for awhile after it is released, but only because there aren’t many cameras to compete with it. It’s lightweight, small, pocket-sized and cheap, yet capable of fantastic image quality. It would be a good option for street or travel photography. If you have some cash lying around it might be worth having. Otherwise, it’s not a camera to get all that excited over. If you were hoping for an X80, you’ll have to wait awhile longer.

One Year Later: Fujifilm X100F

Posted on July 19, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

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I have made the same amount of pictures in the last 12 months as the previous five years combined. I realized this when I discovered that half of the photographs that I’ve uploaded to Flickr (which is where I backup my images) are from the last 365 days. I’ve been capturing images at a pace well beyond that of any point in the two decades that I’ve been carrying around a camera.

That statistic surprised me, because it’s not as if I wasn’t capturing a bunch of pictures before. In fact, not very long ago, I was spending too much time on photography, and it was beginning to interfere with family life. I made a change. I’m now significantly more photographically productive and I’ve improved my home life simultaneously. How did I do this?

My Fujifilm X100F arrived in the mail on July 19, 2017. Yes, I’ve had this great fixed-focal-length, fixed-lens camera for one year, starting today. Time has flown by! Since I purchased this camera I have relied on camera-made JPEGs, and I no longer fiddle with RAW files on a computer.

It used to be that I would need roughly two hours to post-process one hour of photography. Obviously sometimes it would be much quicker and sometimes I’d spend an hour on just one image, but the two-for-one estimate proved to be generally accurate over the course of years. I spent twice as much time editing as I did capturing.

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Things changed when I got my X100F. The straight-out-of-camera JPEGs resembled post-processed RAW files. They looked like they would if I had edited them, and nothing like typical camera-made JPEGs from other cameras that I have owned. This meant post-production time dropped dramatically. Now I estimate 15 minutes of post-production (typically just reviewing and transferring, and occasionally cropping and minor manipulations) for every hour of picture-taking. It’s all thanks to Fujifilm’s excellent film simulation options.

The time I save by using the X100F (and also the X-Pro2, as of a few months ago) is substantial. It has allowed me to create photographs at breakneck speed while also spending more time with my wife and kids. This camera has been amazing, and I cannot thank Fujifilm enough for making it. It may sound like hyperbole, but it’s true, the X100F has changed my life for the better.

Ansel Adams said, “Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.” I don’t anticipate ever creating an image as significant as any that Adams did, but I took that quote and ran with it for this article, showcasing my favorite picture captured with the X100F in each month that I’ve owned it. Some months were easy because I knew exactly which photograph to choose. Other months were difficult, either because I had three-to-five great options and I debated extensively over which one to showcase, or because I had three-to-five mediocre options and I was trying to pick the least worst.

It can be difficult for a photographer to know which are his or her best pictures. Photographers are often biased based on the circumstances surrounding the exposure. Typically others are the ones who decide which images are the greatest. For example, Steve McCurry’s well-know Afghan Girl photograph, which was on the cover of the June issue of National Geographic, was not his favorite of the photo shoot. Steve actually preferred a different slide, but the publisher liked the one that would later make the cover, so he chose it instead, and now it’ renown. The image that Steve thought was the best has pretty much been forgotten. If you were to pick the pictures for this article, perhaps you would have selected an entire different set. Still, I hope that you appreciate these images that I hand-picked to demonstrate how I have used my X100F over a year’s time.

July 2017

KeyBank Building – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

August 2017

Ilford Harman Technology – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

September 2017

Walking Man – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

October 2017

Fortuity – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

November 2017

Pure Fish – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

December 2017

Curtain Abstract – Mesquite, NV – Fujifilm X100F

January 2018

Caramel Macchiato – Sandy, UT – Fujifilm X100F

February 2018

Canyon Pinion – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

March 2018

Watchtower Sky – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

April 2018

Sunset Rock – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

May 2018

Jump – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

June 2018

Peach City Drive-In – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F

July 2018

Ethos – Riverdale, UT – X100F – double exposure

Multiple Exposure Monday, Part 1

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

My Mourning Essentials – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – double exposure

I’ve been doing multiple exposure photography off and on for a long time. It seems as though every year or two I get a short-lived urge to be creative in that way. I’ll make a number of multiple exposure photographs over the course of a few weeks, then I’ll stop until that urge returns in another year or so.

This type of photography can be done in-camera on film, in the darkroom on paper, in-camera digitally, or with Photoshop or some other similar software. At one time or another I’ve done it each way. I think in-camera on film has the best potential for great results, but it can be very tricky, requiring great skill and great luck. Getting good results in Photoshop can be tricky because, most often, it’s easy to spot when one has done that technique. I find that in-camera digitally is a good method, not quite having the potential that film provides but not producing obviously fake results like what one often sees when done with software.

Here are some examples of multiple exposure photographs that I’ve done in the past:

Ghost Garage – Redlands, CA – Pentax K-30 – double exposure

Photography Is A Drug – Stallion Springs, CA – Sigma DP2 Merrill – triple exposure

I Am Nature – Ogden Canyon, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 – double exposure

Preserved Steam Wheel – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 – double exposure

Preserving The Library Stairs – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 – double exposure

The bug to create multiple exposure pictures bit me again recently. Last week I used my X100F and X-Pro2 to capture several double exposures. I looked around for interesting opportunities to combine scenes. One difficult aspect of multiple exposure photography is combining two exposures in a way that brings new meaning, that changes what both scenes are about. It’s definitely abstract in nature, but there has to be a point to it other than just abstract, or else why do it?

Fujifilm makes it pretty easy to do this type of photography in-camera because you capture the first image, then it superimposes that onto the second as you are capturing it. You can see exactly what the results are going to be. Typically, even with highlight and shadow set to +4, the straight-out-of-camera picture looks flat, so some post-processing is required, although I try to keep it to a minimum.

Hopefully I will have some more opportunities to create even more double-exposure pictures coming up in the next few days. I have a number of ideas floating around inside my head. I hope you enjoy the ones that I captured below.

Yearning – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – double exposure

Not An Entrance – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F – double exposure

Blue Diamond – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – double exposure

Abstract Rectangles – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – double exposure

Trade Tools – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – double exposure

Two Tone Carts – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F – double exposure

Lens Target – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F – double exposure

Double Shot – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F – double exposure

Lens Review: 7artisans 25mm F/1.8 for Fujifilm

Posted on July 15, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm X-Pro2 with 7Artisans 25mm f/1.8 lens

There are a number of inexpensive prime lenses coming out of China. After purchasing the Meike 35mm f/1.7 and, for the most part, really liking it, I thought I’d try the even cheaper 7artisans 25mm f/1.8 for my Fujifilm X-Pro2. Can a low-end lens be any good?

7artisans was founded by seven photographers who wanted to make lenses, so they did. They have several different offerings, all of which are very inexpensive yet intriguing. The 25mm lens for Fujifilm has an equivalent focal length of 37.5mm, which is slightly less wide-angle than the X100F, but a similar focal-length.

Despite the fact that they are two different companies, there are a lot of similarities between the Meike and 7artisans lenses that I own. They both have solid build quality, they are both manual-focus only, they both have click-less apertures, they both are super sharp in the middle, they both are super soft in the corners wide-open, they both have significant vignetting wide-open, they both have noticeable pincushion distortion, they both produce nice bokeh, and they both are at peak performance between f/2.8 and f/8. It’s almost as if the same people designed both lenses, although, supposedly, that’s not the case.

7artisans 25mm f/1.8

One difference that I found is Meike controls lens flare better, which is not necessarily saying much. If you like flare, both of these lenses are for you. The 7artisans lens produces lots of flare whenever there is a bright light source nearby. It’s almost a bit over-the-top, and if you don’t like lens flare, be sure to buy a hood for this lens (something that I did after a couple weeks of use). I like lens flare sometimes, but it was much too much with this 7artisans lens.

What you get with the 7artisans 25mm f/1.8 is a new lens that looks and feels vintage (maybe early-1980’s-ish), and produces results that have a vintage quality. It’s not precision engineered like most modern glass, so it has flaws, and those flaws give your photographs character, something that’s missing from most modern lenses. Whether or not that character is something you want for your photographs is for you to decide. I personally appreciate it. I also appreciate manual-focus, and those not used to it might not care for it.

I like the Meike 35mm f/1.7 slightly more than the 7artisans 25mm f/1.8, but it also costs a little more, too. At just $70, the 7artisans offering is $20 cheaper, and for that price, it’s pretty darn fantastic. It’s possibly the least expensive lens option for your Fujifilm X camera, as I don’t know of any that are cheaper; however, this is a lens that you could capture some great pictures with because it has very sharp glass. It does have some faults and quirks, but, considering how little it goes for, it’s easy to overlook those issues, and perhaps even embrace them. If you have a limited budget but would like to add some quality glass to your collection, the 7artisans 25mm f/1.8 is a good option that you should consider.

Succulent Abstract – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7artisans 25mm

Succulent Monochrome – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7artisans 25mm

Vase On A Dark Table – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7artisans 25mm

Window Reflection Sunset – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7artisans 25mm

Red Shed & Lens Flare – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7artisans 25mm

Evening In The Urban Garden – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7artisans 25mm

Rainbow Over The Green Mountain – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7artisans 25mm

Drops of Water Lily – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7artisans 25mm

Yellow Tipped Peddle Bloom – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7artisans 25mm

Picked Flowers In The Window – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7artisans 25mm

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Neighborhood Fireworks

Posted on July 15, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Over The Rooftops – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7Artisans 25mm

My previous experience with Fourth of July fireworks is going to an organized show, typically at a local park and sponsored by the city. You bring folding chairs or a blanket, maybe have some lemonade or watermelon, and watch the show from beginning to the grand finale with a crowd of people. Then fight the traffic going home. That’s been the routine as far back as I can remember.

My family and I moved from California to Utah two years ago. This year’s Independence Day celebration was actually our third since relocating to this state. Fireworks in Utah are different than other places I’ve lived. For starters, you can buy fireworks and set them off yourselves at your house. And everyone, it seems, does that. Yes, there are organized fireworks displays just like everywhere else, but each neighborhood is like its own fireworks show. There are restrictions on what fireworks you can buy and use and where you can do it, but overall it’s pretty open.

The front yard or back yard, it doesn’t really matter, any spot outdoors is good to catch the neighborhood show. There are fireworks all around, to your left and right, in front and behind, right over your head and maybe near your feet. Even though it is completely unorganized, it’s as exiting as any organized fireworks display that I’ve ever been to. It’s really an amazing experience, and it happens for several days. July 4th is obviously the big night, but the couple days before and even the day after can be a good show.

This year I used my Fujifilm X-Pro2 camera with a Fujinon 60mm f/2.4 Macro lens and 7Artisans 25mm f/1.8 lens to capture the action. Relying on high-ISO, these photographs are all handheld, no tripod used or needed. I’ve always used a tripod to capture fireworks, and it was nice not lugging one around (especially since I was trying to keep tabs on four kids). Granted, if I had used a tripod I could have produced cleaner images, but these came out decent enough. It’s amazing how well digital cameras can “see in the dark” and how good crazy high ISOs can look right out of camera nowadays. Pictures like these handheld would have been impossible not all that long ago.

War Time – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Go Beyond – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Big Small Explosions – S. Weber, UT – Fuji X-Pro2 & 60mm

Smoke & Firecrackers – S. Weber, UT – Fuji X-Pro2 & 60mm

Street Sparks – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Box of Sparks – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Firecracker Box – S. Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Smoke & Flame – S. Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Old Sparky – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Watching The Firecrackers – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Dancing In The Sidewalk Light – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Smokey Sidewalk – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Neighborhood Fireworks – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Firework Over The Roof – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7Artisans 25mm

Fireworks In The Twilight Sky – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7Artisans 25mm

Smoke & Illumination – S. Weber, UT – FujiX-Pro2 & 60mm

Jon Holding A Sparkler – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7Artisans 25mm

Watching The Sparkler Burn – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Jon Unsure of Sparkler – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Sparkler Joy – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm

Girl With A Sparkler – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7Artisans 25mm

Fujifilm X100F Aperture Series: f/5.6

Posted on July 14, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

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f/2 f/2.8 f/4

If aperture f/4 is the sweet spot, then f/5.6 is a close second on the Fujifilm X100F. It’s small enough to achieve a large depth-of-field and it’s large enough to achieve a small depth-of-field when focused close to the end of the lens. It’s very sharp. It’s got nice bokeh when you have a blurry background. It’s versatile, and I use it frequently.

Aperture f/5.6 is good for landscapes. It’s good for street. It’s good for still-life. It’s good for family snapshots. I use it anytime that I need more depth-of-field than f/4, or when there’s not enough light for f/8, or anytime that I need a good all-around aperture. Below are some example photographs of f/5.6 on the X100F.

Black Conduit – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

Where The Fern Grows – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

Sky Above The Canyon Below – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

Watchtower Sky – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fuji X100F @ f/5.6

Three Old Dock Posts – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

Barnacle Heart – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

Mount Rainier Behind The Pines – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

Trees, Rocks & Cliffs – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – X100F @ f/5.6

Green Tree – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

Mesa Arch – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

Line Workers – Moab, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

Carrot Farmer – Syracuse, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

Jonathan Throwing A Water Balloon – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

Umbrella Overpass – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

Road Trip: Black Hills, South Dakota – Days 5 & 6

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

East North East – Lusk, WY – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Days 1 & 2 Day 3 – Part 1 Day 3 – Part 2 Day 4 – Part 1 Day 4 – Part 2

The final two days of the road trip to South Dakota involved packing up the trailer and driving home. It was stormy and at times the wind was blowing hard, which meant a lot of white knuckles as I tried to stay on the road. Needles to say, I didn’t capture a whole lot of photographs! I did manage to get a little photography in here and there, which are the pictures you see here.

The Black Hills turned out to be more beautiful and interesting than I had imagined. I felt like I could have stayed several days longer to really experience the place. While Mount Rushmore was a slight let-down, the rest exceeded all expectations. If you’ve never been you’ll have to be sure to someday go.

You might have noticed that I didn’t capture a single photograph using my Fujifilm X100F. All of the photographs in this series were captured using my X-Pro2 (unedited camera-made JPEGs, by the way). The reason for this is that my wife was using the X100F on this trip. Now she has her own camera, an X-T20, so I have my X100F back.

You may have also noticed that I used the Meike 35mm f/1.7 lens a lot on this trip. I learned photography with a nifty-fifty, and for a long time that’s all I had. So having a 50mm (equivalent) focal length lens was a nice change of pace, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The Meike lens, while far from perfect, is well worth the small price it goes for.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this series. I know that viewing other people’s photographs of someplace is never the same as going yourself and creating your own images. But I hope that this inspires you to get out on your own road trip, camera in hand, to see the wonderful world that’s around you.

Wyoming Thunderstorm – Orin, WY – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

On Track To Rain – Orin, WY – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Storm Over Orin – Orin, WY – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Unleaded Sky – Orin, WY – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Fingernail Moon – Alcova, WY – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Always Moving Ahead – Rawlins, WY – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Trucks, Stopped – Rawlins, WY – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Less Angry & More Caring

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Ain’t No Love On The Streets – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

I’m going to get on my soapbox for a minute, I hope that you don’t mind. There’s something that’s been bothered me for the last few days and I feel the need to say something about it.

Last week I published an article about distressing a Fujifilm X-E1 to make it look old and worn. I knew that there would be strong mixed reactions to it. I was actually surprised that, of all the comments and emails I received, about 60% were positive and 40% were negative. I thought the reaction would be more negative than positive, but it turned out to be the other way around. More people seem to like it than not.

What bothers me, though, is that every single negative reaction that I received, either as a comment or email, had a personal insult attached to it. Each and every time, the person who had something negative to say also said something mean, intentionally being hurtful. In one case, the person was clearly bigoted, and their words were laced with intolerance.

I was expecting negative words. I don’t have a problem receiving constructive criticism. In fact, in photography, constructive criticism is essential for improvement. I learned this decades ago in Photography 101, when we would have “peer review” in class. I’m very open to criticism, as long as the person means well and has the experience to back up what he or she is saying.

Broken Souls – Newberry Springs, CA – Sigma DP2 Merrill

What I received was not constructive criticism, but destructive criticism. The words written to me were deliberately intended to tear me down. These people didn’t like what I did, so they decided to verbally destroy me. It wasn’t enough to simply say, “I don’t like it.” Or, “It’s ugly.” Or, “I find it to be dishonest.” No, what was said was more akin to, “I don’t like it, and you’re a pathetic excuse for a cotton headed ninny muggins and your breath stinks.” Or something along those lines, but with stronger words.

It seems like more and more that it’s not enough to simply disagree with someone. If you don’t like or understand what someone did or said, the first response seems to be to discredit the person by verbally thrashing them. It seems that, instead of trying to see things from that person’s perspective to understand it, what happens instead is people tend to become abusive with their words. It’s like they cannot handle an opinion or thought or action that is different than their own.

If you gave 10 photographers the same subject to capture, they’d each come up with a different picture. Each one has different ideas and experiences that effect the outcome of the image. Each person is unique, so their process is going to be unique. Their perspective on the subject is going to be different. Each person sees the world through their own lens.

Can you imagine if each person verbally assaulted the others for having a perspective that’s different? Can you imagine if they were calling each other nasty names for not capturing the image in the same way? It’s absurd, but that’s essentially what’s going on. Everyone has a different perspective on things based on their own experiences. It would be better, instead of shutting down someone for having a different perspective, to attempt to see things through the other person’s lens, to try to understand that person’s opinion, thought or action. Walk a mile in their shoes first before coming down all judgmental-like.

Because Everyone Is Unique – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

I’m having a difficult time understanding why someone’s first reaction to something that they don’t like or understand would be anger and wrath. This isn’t anything new, though. When I had my old photography blog, I wrote a camera review and someone didn’t like what I said, and they wrote, “If I see you on the street I’ll punch you in the face!” Now I don’t think the person was entirely serious, but what would make someone have that kind of reaction to something that, in the big scheme of things, doesn’t matter whatsoever? Why so quick to anger?

What I do with my camera is my prerogative, just as what you do with yours is your prerogative. And what I do with Fuji X Weekly is my prerogative, because it’s my blog. That’s why you don’t see those negative, hurtful comments. I deleted them, because I can. Don’t like it? Go make your own blog, and handle those kind of things in the manner that you wish. If you have some constructive criticism, by all means offer it. If you have destructive criticism, you are wasting your time, because I will not put up with it. Take your anger and mean spirit elsewhere.

We should all be more kind to each other. We are all humans. Nobody is perfect. We’re all broken and awkward in some way. We’re all on this road of life together. Let’s be kind. Let’s be helpful. Let’s build each other up instead of tearing down. There’s no need to be mean. There’s no need to be bigoted. Nobody is better than the next guy. Everybody makes mistakes. Everyone has their own reasons for things. This world needs more love and less hate. More understanding and less prejudice. More civility and less rudeness. More forgiveness and less resentment. More helping hands and fewer middle fingers. We can accomplish this together, if each one does his or her part.

Okay, I’m off the soapbox. Now back to your regularly scheduled program….

My Wife Is Now Shooting Fujifilm X

Posted on July 2, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Double Selfie – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Fujinon 16mm

My wife, Amanda, had a birthday last month. When I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she said, “A camera!” I was a little surprised because for most of our marriage (soon to be 17 years) she has not had much of an interest in photography, but also I wasn’t all that surprised because she has taken an interest in it beginning this year. In fact, I’ve been teaching her photography here and there on the Fujifilm X100F.

Last year for Amanda’s birthday I got her a GoPro because she was making home movies using her iPhone. She’s had a lot of fun over the last 12 months making some pretty epic home videos of our vacations with the GoPro. The kids love them! I think that they’re awesome. This might be where her recent interest in photography stems from, as video and still pictures are in the same general ballpark.

She had told me that, if I did buy her a camera for her birthday, she didn’t want it to be Fujifilm because she was concerned that I would be buying it for myself more than for her. She thought that I might try to take it over. That’s a valid concern because I do love Fujifilm cameras. I suggested that, if I did buy her a Fujifilm camera, we could share lenses. That idea didn’t seem to impress her much.

I ended up buying Amanda an Olympus OM-D camera. It arrived in the mail before her birthday and I set it up the day before so that it would be ready to go. Except that it didn’t work. It was broken! Brand-new, right out of the box, and it was a bust. Talk about a let down! This was supposed to be a big surprise for her.

The next day, on her birthday, I explained what had happened and showed her the non-functioning camera. She was excited that I bought her a camera but disappointed with the camera that was sitting in front of her. I felt bad about it, so later that day I took her to Best Buy, which is right down the street, and told her to pick out a camera.

My Wife, The Photographer – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Amanda tried the different models that they had on display and picked out a Sony A6300. The clerk informed us that they were out of stock but could have one delivered to our house in a couple of days. My wife was okay with that, so we made the purchase and left.

A couple of days later the package arrived from Best Buy. There was a note inside informing us that they were out of brand-new A6300 cameras, that it was an open-box model they had sent us–if we liked it we could keep it and they’d give us $100 off, and if we didn’t like it simply return it to the store. It wasn’t “open-box” so much as it was non-existent-box, with important pieces missing and scratches all over. Obviously we returned it to the store, and the customer service person apologized extensively, shaking his head and saying, “I can’t believe they sent you this piece of junk!”

My wife was ready to give up at this point, but I was not. I told her not to worry, that I’d take care of it. This time I did what I should have done in the first place and purchased her a Fujifilm X-T20. This camera is basic enough for her to feel comfortable using yet advanced enough that she can grow into it. There’s a lot of carryover between the controls of the X100F that she has used several times, so she was able to start shooting pretty quickly. And it has 4K video, something that was important to her.

She seems to be very happy with the X-T20. She’s carrying it around and using it frequently. She’s told me several times that she really likes this model. We’ve even had a few photo walks together, her with the X-T20 and me with the X-Pro2, X100F or X-E1. And I haven’t taken over her camera. I’ve only handled it a few times to show her how to do something when she’s had a question. The X-T20 is Amanda’s camera, while I have my own Fuji X cameras.

I’m very excited that we can share the photography experience together. I’m glad that she wanted a camera and that I purchased her one. It was a frustrating experience at first, but once I purchased the X-T20 all has been well. I look forward to seeing the photographs that she will capture and the adventures we’ll have in the coming months and years.

Road Trip: Black Hills, South Dakota – Day 4, Part 2

Posted on July 1, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Paddling Sylvan Lake – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Days 1 & 2 Day 3 – Part 1 Day 3 – Part 2 Day 4 – Part 1

After my adventurous morning in Custer State Park, I returned back to the campsite as everyone else was waking up. Once breakfast was finished we drove a short distance to Hill City to visit the small railroad museum and watch the steam train arrive (which we almost missed because we were in the museum). Afterwards we had lunch and then returned to camp.

The afternoon was kept low-key. In the early evening we returned to Sylvan Lake to catch some fish. My eight-year-old son, Jonathan, was eager to attempt fishing in South Dakota. Unfortunately, the kids didn’t catch anything, although we could see the fish jumping all over the place. Still, we had a great time and Sylvan Lake is incredibly beautiful.

That night, after everyone was asleep, my wife and I did some astrophotography (my mother-in-law and sister-in-law were camping with us and stayed behind with the kids). We drove up the Needles Highway to Needles Eye, set the camera up on a tripod, and did some long exposures. It was extremely dark and a little creepy, as we heard plenty of noises around us–that area is full of wildlife. The night sky was full of stars and simply breathtaking. Unfortunately, the cloud-like Milky Way wasn’t visible, and I knew it wasn’t going to be because I had done some research before the trip, but I still wanted to get some nighttime photography in.

I used a Fujifilm X-Pro2 for these photographs, which are all camera-made JPEGs using the different film simulations. I attached a Meike 35mm f/1.7 lens and a Fujinon 16mm f/1.4 lens to the camera. Enjoy!

Semaphore – Hill City, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

1880 – Hill City, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Telegraph Office – Hill City, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Tall Train Tales – Hill City, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Hartmann – Hill City, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Wood Cart – Hill City, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Save Money – Hill City, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Caboose Roof – Hill City, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Amanda, Looking Through The Lens – Hill City, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Boy With A Fishing Pole – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Preparing To Cast – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Fishing With A Worm – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Fishing Can Be Gross – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Line In The Water – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Joshua Fishing At Sylvan Lake – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

The Cast – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Impatiently Waiting – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Casting The Line – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Johanna Watching From Her Stroller – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Rocks & Trees, Sylvan Lake – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Sylvan Lake In May – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Wood & Stone – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Sylvan Lake Reflection – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Stars & Stones – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Stars Over Stones – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Needles Eye Night – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Days 5 & 6

10 More Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm f/1.7 Photographs

Posted on June 30, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Yesterday I published an article about the Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm that I distressed to make it appear old and worn, like a well-used 1960’s rangefinder. I included 10 photographs in that article captured with that camera and lens. I’ve been using the X-E1 a lot over the last two weeks because it’s been a lot of fun to shoot with, so I have a bunch of pictures that I wanted to share, but I didn’t want to make that article any longer than it already was.

Below you will find 10 more images that I captured with the X-E1 and Meike lens combination. Of the 20 photographs (ten in each post), 12 of them are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs, while eight of them are camera-made JPEGs that received some editing using the RNI Films app.

Lost Baby Shoe – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Coffee Shop Light – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Table Vase – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Roses On A Table – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Last Light On A Picture Frame – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Evening Johanna – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

American Pyro Trailer – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Fake Potted Plants – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Coffee Shop Shakers – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Espresso Shot Glasses – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Distressing A Camera – Or, Making The Fujifilm X-E1 Sexy Again – Or, Am I Nuts?!

Posted on June 30, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Distressed Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

A couple of months ago I ran across a message board post about a guy who distressed his Fujifilm X70 to make it look old. When I first saw it I thought that it looked cool, but you’d have to have a few screws loose to do that to your new camera. As the days went on I couldn’t get what this guy did to his X70 out of my mind. I was fascinated by the idea of distressing a modern camera to make it look old and worn.

One day, about a month after I had initially seen the distressed X70, I was photographing my wife as she was distressing some old dining chairs. My wife takes unwanted furniture and gives them new life, making them look “shabby-chic” or whatever the current term is for making something look old and worn but still really cool and interesting (she calls it “reloving”). She’s very good at it, and she gets a lot of compliments. I told her about the distressed X70 and showed her the pictures. She thought that it looked neat but it takes some guts to do that to a nice, new camera.

I began to contemplate how to do something like this myself, even as I contemplated my own sanity. They say that it’s a fine line between genius and crazy. Is this something that I should even try? After much back-and-forth in my mind I decided that this was indeed something that I was going to do it. I don’t distress furniture like my wife does (although I have helped her on occasion), but I have done some scale modelling and “weathered” things to make them appear old and well used. So I started to research. Is this a unique concept? Have others done it? How did they do it? What are some reasons why someone might do this?

I discovered that two other photographers did something similar to their X-Pro1 cameras. They took it a few steps further and I thought that the end result wasn’t as good as the X70. I also found out that Fujifilm distressed an X-Pro2 to simulate how it would look after years of heavy use, and they displayed it in Japan. Interestingly enough, the distressing treatment that was given to the X-Pro2 was similar to that given to the X70, so, not surprising, the results were strikingly similar.

Something else that I came across was a limited edition Leica M-P that was designed with the assistance of Lenny Kravitz. It’s a film camera that Leica introduced in 2003. The Lenny Kravitz model is made to look worn as if it had been heavily used for decades. Similarly, Pentax made a version of the MX-1 that was also designed to look old and worn, but it never went into production.

“Vintage” Fujifilm X-E1

There are collectors who will pay top dollar for certain models of vintage Leica cameras that are worn but functional. I discovered that sometimes these cameras are worth more beat up than in near-mint condition, and the more worn-looking the better.

Some interior decorators will dig through flea markets, estate sales and antique stores for old film cameras that appear well-used and worn. These cameras look interesting displayed on shelves and such. I found a couple of people who claim, if they can’t find a camera that looks worn enough, that they will add some distressing to make the cameras more visually interesting.

Something else that I discovered is that people will hide the fact that they have a nice camera when they travel, so that they might be less targeted by thieves. Typically this involves taping up the camera body with black tape to hide the make and model and make the camera seem less nice. They don’t want to appear to be carrying something worth thousands of dollars because it could draw the attention of crooks looking to make a quick dollar.

With all my research done, I knew what I wanted to do, why I wanted to do it and how to accomplish it. My intentions were to buy a used Fujifilm X-E1, which has the right “vintage rangefinder” look, and can be found for cheap yet is capable of excellent image quality, attach my Meike 35mm lens to it, and distress it to make look old and worn.

One reason why I would distress an X-E1 is that it looks neat. Displayed on a shelf, around my neck or as the subject of photographs, the camera looks very interesting. Someone told me, as I was doing some street photography, that they thought I had a 1960’s rangefinder. Another person said, “I bet that camera has some stories to tell!” The distressed X-E1 simply looks cool. It has much more character than any shiny new DSLR.

Distressed Fujifilm

Another reason is that the camera appears less valuable to potential thieves. I feel like I’m less of a target. There have been times when walking the streets with my X-Pro2 or X100F that I feel like I’m being watched and even followed. Maybe I’m paranoid, as I’m not going into rough neighborhoods. But I have had my gear stolen before, in a high-end district of Scottsdale, Arizona, so perhaps I’m a little more suspicious and cautious than the average Joe. With the distressed X-E1, I feel like my camera is less attractive to somebody looking for something valuable to steal. And even if someone does take it, I didn’t pay a whole lot for it, and so it’s not as big of a deal than if someone took off with something I paid over a grand for.

A final reason why I would distress an X-E1 is that it was fun to do. As I mentioned before, I’ve done some scale modelling in the past. I found the process of distressing the camera to be similarly enjoyable. It was easy enough to do. I used fine-grit sandpaper to rough it up, using a heavier hand on the corners, edges and anywhere that someone might handle the camera more, such as knobs and where fingers would sit when holding it. I purchased a vintage strap and used rust-colored paint with a dry-brush technique to make it appear rusty (more rusty, actually, as it already had some natural rust).

The results are pretty convincing, I believe. This X-E1 looks like an old camera that has seen heavy use, and not something that’s fairly new. I wouldn’t have done this to a camera in mint condition. The one that I purchased had some obvious wear already, I just added some extra “wear” to what was naturally there. The Meike 35mm lens, which also looks like it came out of the 1960’s, received some distressing, as well, so that it matches the camera. I really love the way the camera and lens look together, but, perhaps more importantly, I love the images that they create together.

Some people might not appreciate what I did to this camera. I truly understand that it’s not for everyone. Some people might even say that it is inherently dishonest, which it is, but so are most people’s photographs. I’d rather create honest pictures with a dishonest camera than create dishonest pictures with an honest camera. I’m sure that this whole article is a bit polarizing, but when it comes down to it, it’s my camera and I can do whatever I want to it, and it doesn’t really matter what anyone else thinks. Still, I hope that some of you think that it turned out alright. I still haven’t completely decided which side of the genius/insanity line it falls on.

Below are some photographs of my distressed Fujifilm X-E1:

“Vintage” Modern Camera

Distressed Camera

Distressed Camera Knobs

Below are some photographs that I’ve captured with my X-E1 and Meike 35mm lens:

Blue Bird – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Suburban Evening – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Urban Nature – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Open Door – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Elevated Walkway – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Chill – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

If It Fits – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Waiting At The Bus Stop – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Bus Stop – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

35mm Film – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Click here to see more photographs.

Digital Is Disposable

Posted on June 24, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Digital cameras are disposable.

Camera manufacturers introduce the replacement models, the next generation, about every two years on average. This isn’t always true–the X100T came out just one year after the X100S while the X-Pro2 came out four years after the X-Pro1–but, generally speaking, it’s true. Your new camera will be “last year’s model” soon enough.

It’s no surprise that photographers, on average, upgrade roughly every two years, as well. When that new model comes out, it’s very tempting to buy it. The new model is better in this way and that way–faster, more resolution, etc.–you know the song and dance. You might still keep your current camera as a “backup body” once the new one arrives in the mail, and it will mostly collect dust.

There are plenty of photographers who don’t buy new. They’ll wait awhile until they can get a good deal on a gently used camera. But it’s still the same story of “upgrading” every other year or so. They’re just a model behind what’s current.

There are some who keep their cameras for many years. There are plenty of photographers who happily use their five-year-old camera. A much smaller number happily use their ten-year-old camera. Almost nobody happily uses their fifteen-year-old camera, because the cheapest interchangeable-lens cameras today are more advanced and capable of better image quality than the best “pro” cameras of 2003. Digital technology changes quickly, and advancements have come at breakneck speed.

We’ve reached a point of diminishing returns. Digital technology is still advancing quickly and the cameras released in 2017 are better in every way to their counterparts released in 2012. But how much better do they need to be? If a camera already has more resolution than what most need, what does even more resolution do? If a camera is already quick enough for most photographers, how does a faster camera help? If a camera already has amazing high-ISO performance, do you really need a stop more? Yes, there are people who need more, but that’s a small percentage. Most photographers already had everything that they needed in cameras from years past, and all the advancements since then have just been overkill. Cameras are becoming better all the time, but they were already more than good enough before.

Barn By The Tetons – Grand Teton NP, WY – Fujifilm X-E1

I’m not suggesting that camera manufacturers should stop pushing forward. What I am suggesting is that this habit of upgrading to the latest camera model every couple of years is unnecessary. If you want to buy a new camera, go ahead and do it, I’m not trying to stop you. But I do want to make aware to the photographic community that many very good and highly capable cameras are being disposed simply because they’re several years old. I’m telling myself this just as much as I’m telling others, because I’ve been caught up in this routine just as much as the next guy.

My first “real” camera, a Canon AE-1, was over 20-years-old when I bought it. I used it for several years, and even at 25 it was still going strong. I sold it, and that’s one of my photographic regrets, because, even though it is around 40-years-old now, I’m sure someone out there is still capturing wonderful pictures with it. I have several film cameras on my shelf that I occasionally dust off, a couple of which are over 50-years-old, that still function properly and are still capable of capturing excellent pictures.

The idea of someone using a 50-year-old digital camera for anything remotely serious is laughable, and not just because a 50-year-old digital camera doesn’t exist, but because of the poor image quality and usability of the early models. Someday, though, the cameras manufactured today will be 50-years-old, and I can see some of them, if they’re still working, being used by photographers who want that “retro digital” feel. I don’t think too many cameras made before 2010 will ever be used at age 50 or even when they’re 20-year-old. A few of the higher-end models, perhaps, but by-and-large the technology just wasn’t there yet. However, the ones being made today, and even five to eight years ago, have advanced enough that they could still be used to capture quality photographs well into the future.

The Fujifilm X-E1 is not as good as the X-E3, but it is more than good enough for creating wonderful photographs. It is five-years-old, almost six, but it is still an excellent camera. You can find them for under $300 pretty easily because people have moved on. The X-E2 replaced it, and then the X-E2S came out a couple years later, and now the X-E3 is approaching the one year mark and there’s already talk about an X-E4. In the realm of digital cameras it might as well be 50-years-old because it is three and soon-to-be four models old. It’s archaic. It’s a has-been. It’s disposable.

I recently picked up an old X-E1 because they’re so cheap. I liked the one that I used to own, and I wish that I had kept it. I sold it to help fund the purchase of my X100F, which is another camera that I love. The X-E1, or “Sexy One” as it was nicknamed back in 2012, is still an excellent little camera, and for the price that it currently goes for, why wouldn’t you want one? It’s great for travel because of its size and weight, and if it gets stolen or damaged it’s not a huge deal because it didn’t cost much. It’s not as good as the cameras made in 2018, but it’s more than good enough to capture great pictures for years to come.

Digital cameras are disposable, or, perhaps they used to be. We’re at the point now, and have been for several years, where we can hold onto our cameras longer because they’re more than capable photographic tools. The latest and greatest cameras are wonderful, but, really, the advancements are mostly overkill stacked on top of overkill. Maybe it’s time to be content with what we have, myself included. Maybe it’s time to rediscover these wonderful “vintage” digital cameras, such as the original X100, the X-Pro1 and the X-E1. There was a time not very long ago when people raved over these models and stores had a hard time keeping them in stock. Now they go for a few hundred bucks on eBay.

My Fujifilm X-Pro2 Vintage Agfacolor Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on June 23, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Always Moving Ahead – Rawlins, WY – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

I stumbled across a new film simulation recipe while travelling through Wyoming last month. I saw this peculiar classic car parked in front of a gas station with an old radio station in the background, and an analog-film-esque photograph seemed most appropriate for the scene. Normally I’d go with my Vintage Kodachrome recipe, but I decided to play around with the setting and came up with something new.

At first these settings, which I’m calling Vintage Agfacolor, reminded me of Autochrome, an early color film from France. But after using the recipe for a few images, I decided that it more resembles 1950’s Agfachrome. It’s not exactly Agfachrome, but it definitely produces a vintage Agfacolor look.

While never as popular as Kodak, Agfa produced many great films (and other photography products) for still pictures and cinematography back in the good ol’ days. I used a few of their products, including paper for my black-and-white pictures. I liked Agfa, and it’s too bad that they don’t make film anymore.

Purple Weed Bloom – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Fujinon 60mm

While the title says “X-Pro2,” this film simulation recipe can be used by all X-Trans III cameras. I have it saved on my X-Pro2, and I’ll likely plug it into my X100F at some point in the near future. All of my film simulations are interchangeable between the latest generation of Fujifilm cameras.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR-Auto
Highlight: +2
Shadow: +1
Color: -4
Noise Reduction: -3
Sharpening: 0
Grain Effect: Strong
White Balance: Auto, -3 Red & -4 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to -2/3 (typically)

Example photos, all camera-made JPEGs using my Fujifilm X-Pro2 Vintage Agfacolor Film Simulation recipe:

Johanna In A Swing – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Fujinon 60mm

Scout – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 7artisans 25mm

Handbag Abstract – South Weber, Utah – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Fujinon 60mm

Clouds Over Mountain Green – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Fujinon 60mm

Winnie The Pooh – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Fujinon 60mm

Red Handles – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Fujinon 60mm

Left Behind Lunch – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Fujinon 16mm

City Sun – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Fujinon 16mm

Airport Walkway – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Fujinon 16mm

Window Waiting – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Fujinon 16mm

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Road Trip: Black Hills, South Dakota – Day 4, Part 1 – Early Morning In Custer State Park

Posted on June 18, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Black Hills Sunrise – Custer SP, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Days 1 & 2 Day 3 – Part 1 Day 3 – Part 2

Late to bed and early to rise is the life of a photographer, especially when travelling. Even though I had stayed up the night before capturing star pictures, on Day 4 I woke up when it was still dark to catch the sunrise along the Needles Highway, which is within Custer State Park. This area features unusual granite rock formations, many of which are pillars. There’s also an arch called Needles Eye that is unusual in that it is tall and not wide. The highway is narrow and curvy with several small one-lane tunnels. It’s a breathtakingly beautiful drive, and I wanted to capture it in the early morning hours.

I arrived at the Needles Eye area about 10 minutes before sunrise. I didn’t have a chance to scout the location ahead of time, so I was hoping to quickly find some good spots for photography. I think I did alright in that regard, but if I had a chance to visit before hand I would have come away with some better photographs. As far as sunrises go, the one that morning was mediocre since there were no clouds. Hopefully I’ll have a chance to try again another time.

The Golden Hour was spent in the general vicinity of Needles Eye, trying to find different angles and views of the rocks. On the way back to the campsite I stopped at Sylvan Lake. You might recognize this lake if you’ve seen the movie National Treasure: Book of Secrets. It’s a very scenic spot, and I enjoyed a peaceful morning hike around it, capturing photographs as I walked.

All of the photographs in this article are camera-made JPEGs using my X-Pro2 and either a Meike 35mm f/1.7 lens or a Fujinon XF 16mm f/1.4 lens. Both are great options for landscape photography, depending on if you want wide-angle or a “standard” focal length. One costs about 10x as much as the other. I used Acros, Velvia, Astia, PRO Neg. Std, and Classic Chrome film simulations.

There is one photograph that I did not include, called Father Nature (if you want to see it, click the link). It seems inappropriate, but I assure you that it is a natural granite rock formation found along the Needles Highway in Custer State Park. Since I want this to be a family-friendly website, I decided to simply link to the photograph instead of posting it directly on this page. Take a look if you want, or don’t click the link if you don’t want to.

Enjoy the photographs!

Meager Pine – Custer SP, SD – Fuji X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Monochrome Needles – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Black Hills Above The Great Plains – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Dawn At Cathedral Spires – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Morning In The Hills – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Needles Eye Tunnel – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Improbable – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Needles Eye – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Needles Eye Arch – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Reaching Up – Custer SP, SD – Fuji X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Rugged Rocks – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Jagged Landscape – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Tunnel At Needles Eye – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Overlook At Needles Eye – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Needles In The Black Hills – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Towering Rocks & Trees – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Sylvan Lake Monochrome – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

The Dam Bridge – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Black Hills Pine Forest – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Morning Sun Through The Trees – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Looking Down The Dam – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Risky Tunnel – Custer SP, SD – Fuji X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Sylvan Blue – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Chairs On A Dock – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Sylvan Lake & Blue Sky – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Boats Ashore – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

River Canoe – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Spill – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Grazing – Custer SP, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Day 4 – Part 2 Days 5 & 6

My Fujifilm X100F Kodak Ektar 100 Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on June 16, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Peach City Drive-In – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

When Fuji X Weekly reader Jackie asked if I could make a film simulation recipe that mimics the look of Kodak Ektar 100 film, I thought that it would be a simple task. Classic Chrome is halfway there already, providing a Kodak-esque look right out of the bag. But, as it turns out, creating an Ektar look wasn’t easy for one reason: Classic Chrome isn’t vibrant enough, even with color set to +4. Velvia was my next choice, but I couldn’t make it work. It turns out Astia is the key.

Before I get ahead of myself too much, let’s roll things back a little. Ektar is a color negative film made by Kodak. It’s known for vibrant colors, high contrast and fine grain, and, even though it is a negative film, it is more like reversal (slide) film. I would say that, while the results aren’t 100% identical, there are a lot of similarities between Ektar 100 and Ektachrome 100VS. In fact, when Kodak discontinued Ektachrome 100VS, they recommended Ektar 100 as the closest film.

Ektar is ideal for vibrant landscapes or any situation where you want lots of contrast and saturated colors. It’s not usually one’s first choice for portrait photography because skin tones can be off. Some people use it extensively for portraits, but the general advice is to use Ektar for everything other than people pictures. I’ve shot a few rolls of it in the past, but it’s been probably seven or eight years.

Summer Boy – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

I’m actually a little hesitant to call this film simulation recipe Kodak Ektar 100 because it’s not quite right. It’s close, but a little off. The color palette is slightly askew. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get it any closer to being right. I do feel that, if you like Ektar 100 film, you’ll like this film simulation recipe, even though it’s not an exact match.

One thing about this recipe that I’d like to mention is, while I have Dynamic Range set to Auto, almost always the camera selected DR100. If you don’t want to use DR-Auto, set it to DR100 instead and you’ll get the same results. Also, I did not use the faux grain effect for this recipe. I think you could use weak grain if the ISO is 800 or less, but once you get to ISO 1600 and higher the digital noise acts like a convincing weak grain, and adding more grain on top of it is too much. So I elected to set grain to off, but you might consider using weak grain, particularly at the lower ISOs.

Astia
Dynamic Range: DR-Auto
Highlight: +1
Shadow: +3
Color: +4
Noise Reduction: -3
Sharpening: +1
Grain Effect: Off
White Balance: Auto, +3 Red & -2 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +1/3 (typically)

Example photos, all straight-out-of-camera JPEGs captured using my Kodak Ektar 100 Film Simulation recipe:

Ice Cream Sandwiches – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

Open Fountain – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

Peach City Fun – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

Sunlit Sisters – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

Happy & Sad – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

Splash Time – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

Summer Wildflower Blossom – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

Birds In The Window – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

Crates & Dollies – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

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Road Trip: Black Hills, South Dakota – Day 3, Part 2

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Rocky Ridge – Hill City, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Days 1 & 2 Day 3 – Part 1

After leaving Mount Rushmore National Monument, we drove around the Black Hills a little, and then returned to our campsite to relax. After spending the two previous days on the road, it was good to limit the time in the car. We kept the evening low-key, playing board games and throwing around a football.

That night, once everyone was in bed, I tiptoed out into the darkness and did a little night photography. I set my X-Pro2 with a Fujinon 16mm f/1.4 lens on a tripod for some long exposure photography, utilizing Fujifilm’s Cam Remote app. The sky was dark but full of stars. I shined a flashlight into the forest and saw about 100 eyes looking back at me–deer, and perhaps other animals, were all over the place!

These photographs are all camera-made JPEGs. The black-and-white are Acros and the color are Velvia. I really appreciate the look that Fujifilm gear creates in-camera. I could spend hours in front of a computer post-processing, or I could rely on straight-out-of-camera JPEGs that look like they’ve been post-processed. I choose the latter whenever possible, because my time is important to me.

Black Hills – Hill City, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Norbeck Overlook – Keystone, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Twisted Tree – Keystone, SD – Fuji X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Leaning Tree & Stars – Hill City, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm f/1.4

Night Forest – Hill City, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm f/1.4

Night Sky Over Needles Highway – Hill City, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm f/1.4

Day 4 – Part 1 Day 4 – Part 2 Days 5 & 6

Road Trip: Black Hills, South Dakota – Day 3, Part 1 – Mount Rushmore

Posted on June 10, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Four Fathers – Mt. Rushmore, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Days 1 & 2

On the morning of the third day of our South Dakota trip, which was the first full day in the Black Hills, after breakfast, we headed out to see Mount Rushmore National Monument. This is an iconic landmark of America. The heads of four quintessential presidents were carved into the rocks: George Washington, the first president and Revolutionary War general, on the far left, Thomas Jefferson, the third president and author of the Declaration of Independence, on the middle-left, Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th president and Rough Rider, on the middle-right, and Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president and slavery abolisher, on the far right.

Gutzon Borglum is the sculptor who, along with his team of over 400 people, carved Mount Rushmore, which is an incredible work of art. The work began in 1927 and finished in 1941. It was mostly carved by careful use of dynamite. Borglum was a renown artist even before Mount Rushmore, but this is certainly his biggest and best known accomplishment.

When we arrived we were surprised to learn that our National Parks Pass didn’t do us any good. There is a “parking fee” (but no entrance fee), and they offer no discount for those who have an annual pass. The parking garage, which resembles something you’d find at a large airport or downtown, is a big expense, I’m sure, so I certainly understand the need to charge money to park. I just think that, if you have an annual pass, they should give a discount of some sort.

The way that this monument is set up is you traverse a walkway towards the sculpture, with things on your right and left as you make your way down. It kind of feels like much of it was an afterthought instead of integrated design. Still, it’s laid out in such a way that you could choose to get as much out of it as you want. Except, when we were there, half of the trail and the Sculptor’s Studio were closed. Still, we found the museum to be interesting enough.

Mount Rushmore Monochrome – Mt. Rushmore, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Meike 35mm

Our ten-year-old and eight-year-old kids did the Junior Ranger program. This is a great way for them to not only learn about the park, but to be engaged and excited about it. Afterwards, once they had completed the requirements, they were sworn in as Junior Rangers and received a badge. This was a highlight of the trip for them.

The four heads are very large, but it is difficult to really appreciate the scale from the main viewing area. There is a trail that takes you closer, and it isn’t until you reach the end that you can better appreciate the size of the carvings. After we left the park we decided that Mount Rushmore was a neat place to see, but mildly disappointing. On the other hand, it made us want to watch the Alfred Hitchcock classic North by Northwest, which takes place, in part, at Mount Rushmore.

One takeaway from visiting this place is that photography is a lot like sculpting. Borglum’s job wasn’t all that much different from yours and mine, except the tools are different. He removed all of the stone that wasn’t Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln. What was left was his great work of art. When you and I compose, our job is to remove everything that doesn’t belong so that what we are left with is the strongest image possible. Often less is more.

The photographs in this article, which are all camera-made JPEGs, were captured using a Fujifilm X-Pro2 with a Meike 35mm f/1.7 lens attached to it. I really like this camera-lens combination, and I thought it was a good choice for the location. One of the things that I appreciate about my X100F is the simplicity and restriction of one-camera and one-lens, and I found that not changing lenses on the X-Pro2 while at a location provides a similar experience.